Schuylkill County commissioners on Wednesday approved a $100 an hour contract with a Montgomery County firm to provide mitigation services to a former Pottsville High School basketball standout facing the death penalty for his role in the fatal stabbing of a city man last year.

The agreement is with Juandalynn Taylor of the Taylor Advocacy Group of Ardmore for mitigation services in the case of Shavinskin N. Thomas.Taylor will also receive $50 an hour for travel time.The work is scheduled to start Friday, said Chief Public Defender Michael J. Stine.Commissioners Chairman George F. Halcovage Jr. said "we need to provide the tools for the public defender's office to do their job.Mitigation services are a required part of the defense team in death penalty cases.Mitigation services research a defendant's psychosocial history, information to be presented in court at the penalty phase to avoid the death penalty.The research is exhaustive, and goes beyond the capabilities of defense lawyers.Thomas, 22, along with Joshua M. Lukach, 19, are accused of killing former business owner John Brock, 59, last August.Brock owned the former Bike and Board Shop in Pottsville, which he opened in March 2012.Both Thomas and Lukach are charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, conspiracy, robbery, burglary, criminal trespass, theft, receiving stolen property, access device fraud, recklessly endangering another person, possessing instruments of crime and two counts of aggravated assault. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for each man.They are being held without bail in Schuylkill County Prison.According to court documents and testimony, the men went into Brock's home at 14 S. 12th St. at about 3 a.m., cut him with a box cutter and a knife, and stole $200 and his debit card.The pair later used the card at a Pottsville convenience store, according to testimony.District Attorney Christine Holman has indicated an intention to pursue the death penalty. A mitigation defense is necessary at trial.